Sports Turf Agronomic Management Program

Classifying Soils according to texture most soils are mixtures of all three

particle types with organic matter. The ratios or amounts of each particle group

largely determine the properties of the soil. The percentage of each particle can be

determined by a mechanical analysis (sieve analysis). Then, using a Soil Textural

Triangle the soil can be classified into one of 12 categories.

Soil Texture Classes

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified twelve (12)

soil texture classes as follows:

 Sand

 Loamy Sand

 Sandy Loam

 Sandy Clay Loam

 Loam

 Silt Loam

 Silt

 Silty Clay Loam

 Clay

 Clay Loam

 Sandy Clay

 Silty Clay